U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,268 discloses a double walled cryogenic storage container with a vacuum space containing multi-layer insulation comprising thin radiation layers separated by permanently precompressed fiber sheets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,041 discloses insulating panels in which evacuated cells are inserted. Each vacuum cell is composed of a rigid plastic tube, both ends of which are closed by perforated plugs, and the tube placed in a thin flexible sheath of highly impervious plastic material. This sheath extends beyond both ends of the rigid tube and is sealed by welding after the rigid tube has been evacuated to a high vacuum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,756 discloses an insulating sheet material made of a plurality of air tight chambers, each having a partial vacuum therein, held together in closely spaced side-by-side relationship so as to form a sheet of such compartments.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,783,356 and 4,837,388 disclose an article of insulation which has outer sheet-like elements of elastic material secured by adhesive to a rigid deformable material as an inner element and deforming in a particular pattern, following which the inner element retains its deformed shape while the outer elements spring back to their original shape, leaving voids in which there is a partial vacuum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,773 discloses a pair of panel sheets which form a sandwich with an undulated ribbon-like spacer in the interior thereof and marginal spacers about the periphery of the sheets. A vacuum within the space between the marginal spacers insulates and rigidifies the assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,328 discloses a vacuum insulation panel having flexible gas impermeable walls formed in multiple substantially adjacent compartments. Multiple compartments are utilized to enhance the long term thermal characteristics of the panel by "protecting" the vacuum characteristics of at least one of the compartments by surrounding it with additional evacuated compartments. This results in a very minimal gas pressure gradient across the internal walls forming the internal compartment to minimize gas and vapor permeation into it, thus greatly enhancing the lifetime of the panel. Further, this permits strategic placing of gettering materials such that gettering materials absorbing certain gases can be placed in the outer compartments and other gettering materials absorbing different gases can be placed in the internal compartments to enhance the lifetime of the panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,439 discloses thermal insulation vacuum panels formed of an inner core of compressed low thermal conductivity powders enclosed by a ceramic/glass envelope evacuated to a low pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,335 discloses a refrigeration appliance having a vacuum insulation system wherein a combination of vacuum thermal insulation panels and polyurethane foam provide the thermal insulating properties as well as structural support.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,981 discloses a method for making high R superinsulation panels; U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,899 discloses an insulation panel which comprises a mineral fiber board, the fibers having no organic binder thereon, and particulate material packed in the interstices of the board and a gas tight envelope encapsulating the board, the envelope being evacuated; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,816 discloses a superinsulation panel.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,107,649 and 5,157,893 disclose an ultra-thin compact vacuum insulation panel comprised of two hard but bendable metal wall sheets closely spaced apart from each other and welded around the edges to enclose a vacuum chamber. Glass or ceramic spacers hold the wall sheets apart.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,408 discloses a vacuum insulated panel formed of peripherally welded metallic wall members which define a cavity within which a solid compressed block of a particulate material is disposed. The particulate material, preferably an activated carbon black, a silica gel or a combination thereof, serves as a barrier to radiant thermal transmission through the panel, acts as a getter to maintain the vacuum in the cavity, and, with proper density, supports the walls of the panel against collapse when the cavity is evacuated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,980 discloses a flexible insulating panel which comprises a first flexible external sheet opposing a second flexible external sheet, each sheet comprises a plurality of corrugated gas impermeable layers joined with a gas tight seal to form an internal space that is evacuated of air. Spacers press against a membrane to resist the facewise compressive forces. The evacuated insulating panel is flexible, both in use and application.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,424 discloses a thermal insulating material which is packed in a sealing bag composed of an obverse face material and a reverse face material, each made of a metal foil, and which is sandwiched by a sealant layer of plastic film adhesively affixed to one side thereof and by a surface layer of plastic film adhesively affixed to the other side thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,510 discloses a superinsulation panel and a thermoelectric assembly which maintains the temperature within a refrigerator or other type of enclosed structure at a desired value.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,408 discloses a thermal insulating body for thermal insulation, consisting of a shell which can be evacuated and which is filled with a solid, microporous thermal insulating material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,857 discloses vacuum insulating panels which are provided with textured surfaces that localize thermal expansion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,046 discloses apparatus including a power supply and control system to provide for maintaining the temperature within an enclosed structure using thermoelectric devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,216 discloses a refrigerator which combines the benefits of superinsulation materials with thermoelectric devices and phase change materials to provide an environmentally benign system that is energy efficient and can maintain relatively uniform temperatures for extended periods of time with relatively low electrical power requirements.